Group Study and Shadow Ranking
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the classroom as Bruce and his friends huddled around a table near the back window.
Notebooks, open textbooks, scattered pens, and crumpled snack wrappers filled the space like the remnants of a battle fought with knowledge.
Tao tapped his pencil rhythmically against the table. "Okay, Bruce, your answer was technically right," he said, circling an equation, "but you used the long method again."
Bruce squinted at his notes. "Yeah, I don't trust shortcuts unless I've mastered them."
Li Mei stretched, yawning. "Maybe that's why you understand it better. You always end up in the top three of the class. You work like a machine."
Bruce scratched his head sheepishly. "I just like to be thorough."
"Top three?" Tao scoffed. "He's gonna rank first if he keeps this up. Don't let his humble face fool you."
Bruce waved them off, laughing. "You guys are exaggerating."
Yue Feng, who had been flipping through the language notes, leaned back and said, "Speaking of rankings… you know the guy who challenged you? Zhao Lifen's boyfriend?"
Bruce nodded, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. What about Feng Jinhai?"
"He's part of something big in Wanshan High," Tao cut in. "They call it the Shadow Ranking—a list of the top 30 martial artists in the entire school."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You said it's not official, right?"
Li Mei nodded. "Right, Not officially endorsed by the school, but everyone in the school knows and respects it. Even teachers. Especially the top five. They get personal sparring rooms, early cafeteria access, extra library privileges, and most importantly—connections. Clubs beg to have them, and they're practically treated like celebrities."
Yue Feng added, "Also, any Wanshan High student who defeats a ranked fighter can take their spot. That's how you're little… 'challenge' fits in."
Bruce looked thoughtful. "So Zhao Lifen's boyfriend is ranked…?"
"Twenty-seven," Tao replied. "And from what I heard, he's good. Built like a brick wall and specializes in aggressive forms of Tiger style. Strong bursts that can break defence"
Bruce blinked. "Tiger style? That explains his stance."
Li Mei gave him a concerned look. "Are you really going to fight him after finals?"
Bruce nodded. "Already agreed."
"You've been quiet about this," Yue Feng said, raising an eyebrow. "You realize if you lose, he's going to humiliate you in front of both schools."
"Not only that, He told me to quit Wanshan" Bruce said calmly, "but if I win, I will get his rank and twenty grand."
Tao leaned closer. "There's more. If you make it into the top 10, especially after beating a current rank-holders, your name spreads. Every club in the high school watches you. You get the option to join elite martial arts training sessions too and gain more recognition outside school."
"Which," Li Mei added with a teasing smile, "might actually impress someone like Qin Yue."
Bruce laughed. "Please. She's a glacier in human form."
The group snickered.
"Speaking of Qin Yue," Tao said, looking around before dropping his voice, "her boyfriend is the Shadow Rank Number One."
"Wait," Bruce said slowly. "She's dating the number one ranked fighter in Wanshan High?"
"Yep," Tao confirmed. "Name's Zhao Wuying. A third-year. Nicknamed Silent Fist. No one's seen him lose a match. Ever."
"Cold, ruthless, barely speaks. Rumors say he trained at some hidden monastery during summers," Yue Feng added.
Bruce whistled low. "So Lifen's boyfriend is Rank 27… but her ex-best friend's boyfriend is Rank 1? That's… messy and are you even sure Lifen and Qin Yue are even friends? They don't seem to talk that much"
"Tell me about it, My guess is Lifen sticks with Qin Yue for some other reason" Li Mei muttered.
The room grew quiet for a moment.
Bruce leaned back in his chair, eyes on the ceiling. "Well, looks like I walked into a whole martial arts drama plotline without realizing it."
Tao laughed. "At least you're the protagonist."
"Yeah," Bruce said, smirking. "Let's just hope I don't get written off in episode one."
Dinner, Dreams, and Distant Lands
The aroma of fresh steamed dumplings, herbal tofu soup, and sizzling stir-fried greens filled the modest dining room of the antique shop
Uncle, Jackie, and Bruce sat at the dining table enjoying their dinner.
Take-out from Old Lady Lu's restaurant, a rare indulgence. "Aiyah! Eat quickly. The soup will cool," Uncle muttered, ladling a portion into each bowl with a practiced hand.
Bruce, mouth full dumpling, gave a muffled, "Thank you, Uncle."
Jackie leaned back, sipping his herbal tea. "So, Bruce," he said between bites, "Final exams coming up. Feeling ready?"
Bruce finished chewing, wiped his mouth, and nodded confidently. "Yeah. I think I'll be fine."
Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Just fine?"
Uncle narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Bruce shrugged with a grin. "Okay, maybe a little more than fine."
Jackie leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "You studied with your friends today, right? What do they think?"
Bruce smirked. "They think I'm secretly some immortal sage who's been reborn as a student."
Uncle grunted. "Hmph. You study because you don't waste time chasing trends and nonsense like most young people."
Jackie chuckled. "That's true. If he studied any harder, I'd have to check if he's building a secret lab in the attic."
Bruce wiped his fingers with a napkin and leaned back. "I just don't like the idea of being unprepared."
Jackie nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. "Good mindset. You've grown up a lot lately."
Bruce blinked, surprised. "You think so?"
Uncle interjected without looking up from his food. "Hmph. Not completely grown. He still forgets to fold laundry."
"Once!" Bruce groaned. "That was one time!"
Jackie snorted with laughter. "So, Mister Scholar," he said, using his chopsticks to point at Bruce, "So, Mr.Prepared, What are your plans after school? College? A job? Or maybe… marrying into money?"
Bruce nearly choked on his tea.
Jackie burst out laughing. "I'm kidding! But seriously—what do you want to do in the future?"
Bruce looked at them both, and for a moment, his expression turned resolute.
"I want to become an archaeologist," he said.
The room fell silent, the sounds of clinking bowls momentarily fading.
Jackie blinked. "An archaeologist?"
"Yeah," Bruce nodded. "I want to travel the world. Discover lost civilizations, explore ancient ruins, understand the past. There's so much buried under time—hidden tombs, sunken temples, forgotten languages…"
Uncle raised an eyebrow. "And dangerous traps. Don't forget those."
Bruce grinned. "Yeah. Traps too. I want to find them all."
Jackie leaned back, genuinely impressed. "You really mean that, don't you?"
Bruce nodded firmly. "Every word."
He looked down at his hands thinking. 'When I was stuck in the hospital, I used to watch documentaries. Read about explorers, treasure hunters, ancient mysteries. It kept me going. Now I've got this second chance… I want to live it.'
Uncle tapped his chopsticks against his bowl. "One more thing! If you find any rare antiques, don't forget to send them back to the shop. Good quality, good price."
Bruce and Jackie both burst out laughing.
"Uncle!" Bruce protested, still laughing, "You're already planning to sell my discoveries?"
Uncle sipped his soup calmly. "Of course. Otherwise what's the point of all that dangerous crawling in dirt?"
Jackie leaned over with a teasing grin. "You know, I am pretty good at dodging darts and rolling under stone doors. I could be your field partner."
Bruce smirked. "You're on, Only one condition!"
Jackie raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Bruce grinned. "You carry the backpack."
Uncle snorted. "Hah! Jackie? He couldn't carry groceries last week without tripping on the stairs."
"I slipped on that banana peel!" Jackie protested.
They all burst out laughing again.
The night ended with empty bowls, warm laughter, and an unspoken comfort between them. Despite everything—the past, the mystery of Chi, the challenges ahead—Bruce was no longer alone.
-----END-----
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